


The Time Inbetween

by DalishGrey



Series: The Redacted Files [4]
Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Blankets, Cute, F/M, Fluff, I Blame Tumblr, I Will Go Down With This Ship, Male-Female Friendship, Mass Effect 3, Resting, Secret Crush, down time, hinted shega, hinted shelenko, little tasks, tired
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-05
Updated: 2016-01-05
Packaged: 2018-05-12 01:30:26
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 734
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5648818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DalishGrey/pseuds/DalishGrey
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It wasn't on the field that you saw who people really were, what was going through their heads.<br/>It was exhausting.<br/>There were times where it even caught up to Shepard.</p><p>Vega couldn't explain the thoughts that went through his head when he thought of her, but it was in the down-time between missions, that everything became a little clearer.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Time Inbetween

**Author's Note:**

> This was initially going to be for a contest, but I wanted to publish it before I was able haha :)
> 
> If you read it, I hope you enjoy it :) any feedback is appreciated :)

He stared at the old requisition orders, his mind swimming with thoughts he'd rather not have. From her smile, to the wave of her dark hair, her big green eyes. He shook his head, trying to get them out.

"Hey Esteban, the latest req orders arrived yet?" he called out.  
The shuttle pilot stirred at his station, casting a glance over to Vega.

"Yeah, they got here this afternoon, but we need Shepard to look them over before we proceed," Cortez answered, ignoring Vega's quirk.   
Vega strode over, a cocky grin plastered on his face as he picked up the pad from Cortez's side.

"We need them asap, I'll take it up to her" he stated, ignoring _Esteban's_ eye roll.

Cortez couldn't help but tease him about his crush, especially when he found out that Vega couldn't take the digs as well as he dished them. James moved to the large metal doors, waiting for them to part so he could be on his way.

"Tell her I said hi!" Cortez chimed, smiling smugly.

He jumped into the elevator, lightly tapping the datapad on his palm, steadying his breathing and clearing his head.

 _'Relax, it's just Shepard'_ he tried to tell himself, hitting his head against the cold, hard metal wall when his mind refused to clear. The soft hum of the elevator was mildly calming, even more-so when joined by the gentle whirr of the engines. _'Deep breaths Vega'_.

He wished the journey was longer. Though Tores had jumped in on her way to the CIC...and while he would normally appreciate the stares of awe, her gawking did little but make him wish he wasn't stuck in, what was essentially, a big metal box.

The lift jutted to a stop and the doors opened with fervor.

"Shepard?" he called out, waiting quietly for an answer.

The second door slid aside and he strode in with his usual confidence, but it faded almost instantly. Vega rounded the corner and there she was. Her head resting on her arms, raven tendrils covering her face, parted lips barely visible beneath the unruly waves, stray strands moving with every soft breath. Her eyes were closed and she shifted, tucking her long legs beneath her.   
A collection of data-pads lay strewn across the desk.

Every façade, every ounce of confidence was gone. Erased by the sight of her. She looked so normal, so vulnerable, so... _perfect_. As quietly as he could manage, he placed the datapad on the desk beside her and scoured her quarters for something he could use. He realized he'd never actually paid that much attention to her room.

It was an Alliance-Cerberus hybrid, no doubt about that, but he'd never noticed her personal items before. A painting of Vancouver lay stuck to the wall and a model of the original Normandy was perched on the shelf. Then his eyes were drawn to the photographs by her desk; there was a picture of her and the original crew (most with drinks in their hands, he noted), her and Admiral Anderson upon the completion of her N7, one of her and the Major (everyone knew about what happened with them). But it was the final picture that caught his attention, it was her and a young man, he had tanned skin, rich brown hair and he had his arm around her. The name Toombs printed across his heart. It was... _vaguely_ familiar.

She moaned softly, her brow furrowing, her own fingers threading into her hair.

He found himself wanting to do it himself...to run his fingers through her hair and press his lips to hers...

_'Dios mio man, get a grip'_

He shook his head and snapped out of his distraction, before walking over to the cabinet and eventually managing to find a blanket. He draped it over her shoulders, his breath hitching as he accidentally brushed her cheek with his knuckle. Another soft moan passed through her lips, but this time her face relaxed and she wrapped the blanket around herself. She looked content...beautiful. 

_'It'll never happen...'_

James sighed deeply, turning on his heel and heading for the door.

A soft, quiet voice called after him.

"James?" he looked back, her eyes were barely open as she smiled sweetly and sleepily, his heart warmed in his chest "thank you".

He couldn't help the smile that tugged at his lips.

"Any time Lola"


End file.
